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  Chapter 3: A Familiar Enter

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  “Y-You…”

  Farkonia fell into silence as she gazed at Veridith, who hung adorably from Aris.

  “Ah! Lord Dragon King! I am Veridith.”

  Veridith hopped down from Aris's shoulder, perf an exaggerated bow that was somewhat off-kilter.

  “Just call me Farkonia. Now, what brings you here?”

  “Certainly, Lord Farkonia. I wished to observe your mythical demeanor up close and firsthand, hence my presence.”

  “…”

  Farkonia had long since suspected that she had beehily tailing them, but hearing Veridith's reason out loud left her feeling somewhat embarrassed.

  “Well, never mind that. It does seem rather iing... No, wait, she is quite brave and undoubtedly skilled. I suppose I allow her to apany us.”

  “Umm…”

  Hmm, Veridith was indeed small in stature; even her modest development paled in parison to that of the younger Misako, who had not yet e of age.

  “Just call me Misako... And if you wish to follow, you must heh address me as Big Sister.”

  Misako’s petitive spirit seemed to ignite uedly.

  “No! The title of ‘sister’ belongs to the elder sisters!”

  “What? Are you suggesting that when you have a new sister, you simply fet the old one?”

  The two little ones began squabbling pyfully, “Yah-yah!”

  “...Aris.”

  At that moment, Farkonia sidled up o Aris.

  “What is it?”

  “I… I absolutely must insist on keeping a close wat her.”

  “?”

  Aris was taken aback, regarding the serious look on Farkonia's face. Gradually, she began to prehend.

  “What does she have to do with you?”

  “She is my great-niece.”

  “...Oh, well.”

  Green dragons were not exceedingly rare within their kin, so it was not often that one would directly associate Farkonia with Veridith. However, it was easy to dis the e between them from Farkonia's protective attitude.

  “No wonder her talent is so extraordinary.”

  As the once-mighty Dragon King, Farkonia's lineage must also possess remarkable gifts. Although it's uaiher such bloodlines even held weight at the level of a great-niece.

  “Speaking of which... what about her parents?”

  “...They have passed away.”

  “...I’m sorry.”

  Even Aris, who often remained indifferent, sehat this particur subject warranted sensitivity.

  “It's nothing. For the dragon kin, particurly for me, such occurrences have bee onpce. I have merely been asked to look after her as best as I .”

  The dragons enjoyed a long lifespan, particurly the Dragon Kings, who could easily see tens of thousands of years if bolstered by their strength. Farkonia's formidable power surely meant her longer life as well.

  While dragons often show profound for living kin, they also maintain a detached view towards life ah.

  She vaguely recalled times long past, when a pair ons had presented her with an egg at the threshold of her subspace, pleading for her assistan watg over their daughter.

  Yet, at that time, she had chosen to remain within her subspace, delegating the task to other dragons for care.

  Perhaps now was the time for her to finally fulfill the promise made to that dragon couple.

  “...Boo…”

  “Do not cry! You shed tears when you grow up and recall your embarrassing moments.”

  “I... I feel no shame!”

  “Whatever. Who would even uand yic?”

  “Ugh... Waaaah~!”

  “Wait... you really are g?”

  During the versatioween Farkonia and Aris, Misako’s pyful banter somehow coaxed tears from Veridith.

  “Oh dear, stop your weeping. Such weakness in a dragon is simply uable.”

  “Misako?”

  “Gah!? What!?”

  From behind Misako emerged a striking woman, radiating an imposing aura.

  “Aris, could you lend me a hand?”

  “Of course.”

  A certain, unique pressure pelled Aris to heed the woman’s request.

  Seizing Misako by the slender waist, she hoisted her up. Though petite, Misako's figure was unmistakably noticeable, atuated by her skirt, which offered no cealment.

  “Wait! What are you—?!”

  Sp!!!

  With a resounding smack, Misako preheoo te the gravity of her predit, her adorable visage colored in a deep flush.

  ‘...Hang on, why am I still not bei down...? Could it be?!’

  Sp!! Sp!!

  Another series of smacks followed, creating a symphony of delightful sounds bining Misako’s cries of embarrassment and the melodic sps.

  ……

  “Ugh... it hurts so much…”

  Misako clutched the tender area that had been struck tless times, eveant to sit down.

  Yet, she bore nes; after all, though Veridith may have misspokeears were the result of Misako’s teasing, and the little one hadn’t expected her to cry so easily.

  Despite her pent for mischief, she realized that oearful response emerged, the fun had swiftly evaporated. There remained a kernel of mutual uandiween them, a bond fed through the brief interludes they had spent together.

  “Alright the us discuss the steps.”

  Having soothed Veridith a her up to py with Pupu aside, Aris turize with Misako and Farkonia.

  “Over in my dire was nothing but ft pins. I didn’t notiything out of the ordinary.”

  “Ugh… Well, I did spot a forest.”

  Though her rear still throbbed, Misako engaged early in the exge.

  “A forest, you say? Then we shall head there first.”

  Forests typically boasted richer resources; the ces of entering others, notably the human races and rew signifitly.

  Moreover, with the addition of their new panion, Misako, Farkonia, and Aris could collectively harheir magic to sustain their bodies, requiring no food to expedite their survival. Pupu, too, merely o feed on a drop of Aris’s blood.

  heless, while Veridith wielded siderable power, she cked the capacity to vert magito the sustenaneeded for survival. Thus, she still required a measure of nourishment.

  “Veridith, Pupu, let’s set off.”

  “Okay!”

  “Puff!”

  As they embarked, Pupu perched atop Veridith's head like an adorably etric hat.

  The four of them raised a hand—or a tentacle—in aowledgment, following Aris as they proceeded toward the nearby forest.

  ……

  “Hmm, there are indeed signs that other races have passed through here.”

  Shortly after entering the forest, Aris discovered traces of human activity: remnants of tools unmistakably fed by hands, along with scratches orunks that were clearly unnatural.

  “It appears these markings are not ret.”

  Upon closer iion, the metal included among the debris had succumbed to rust, and the scars etched into the trunks had shifted high enough with the trees' growth that one wouldn't expect a typical human to vehere.

  “...What is it?”

  Notig Aris’s unusual demeanor, Farkonia enquired curiously.

  “...It feels... awfully familiar.”

  Aris recalled a time long ago, one in which she had wahrough this very pce, its ambiance eg with nostalgic reverberations.

  “Who are you!?”

  Suddenly, a sharp, accusatory voiterrupted Aris's reverie.